Hot rods, street rods, rat rods - FOUND ONE! Didn't work out but found another one!!

[WC145]

OK, when I was a teen in the 70's I was all about guns and cars, more cars than guns since I couldn't buy any guns. I had my share of cool rides but they were all gone by the time I signed up for the USAF in '81. Since then I've dabbled in cars a little here and there but nothing too cool, no money, no keepers. Now, I'm approaching my 50th birthday (this June) and I've got some money and for a couple of years I've been telling my wife I want a Vette (of course). But, I've been looking on line at these incredibly cool street rods, rat rods, and resto-mods and suddenly they're all looking way more affordable than I remember.

So, show me what you guys have, I'm suffering from hot rod overload and I need some direction. I'm wavering between a late C5/early C6 Vette (Z06, of course), a late 60's/early 70's muscle car (loved the early 70's Firebird Formula), or a too cool rod of some sort - t bucket, rat, sled, pickup, etc - but whatever it is it's got to be a head turner and have some power to back up the look. Right now I'm looking at a steel '39 Ford Coupe with '99 Vette drive train that is promising and driveable but in the rough, mechanically sound and looks good from the outside but no interior to speak of. It could be "the one" but the big question would be where would I take it from here? I need ideas.

Also, if you guys have anything for sale let me know, cheaper is always better but right now I'm open to anything!

 

[Davwingman]

A few years ago I traded a pickup for a 1940 Ford coupe with a small block drivetrain & all that other street rod stuff. Never did enjoy having it as much as I thought I would. Sold it & never looked back. Best advise I have for you is "buy it built".
Also, kinda came to the conclusion that rod people had three things in common. They all had an ice chest, a couple chairs & a line of bull.

 

[WC145]

Good advise, thanks. The same applies to gun folks, too bad when we get together at the range nobody brings the ice chests and chairs, they just bring the bull!

 

[mike from st pete]

FLATHEADS FOREVER RULE!

 

[Silver77]

Well, like you I always yearned for a Vett. Went through a 1960 MGA and the SCCA races, then a 1950 Ford and a 1954 Ford both souped somewhat. Finally in my second childhood I did the deed. A stock 2004 Vett with 22,500 miles. Now it has LT headers, X-pipe, Magnaflow exhaust, Halltech cold air intake and Dyno tuned. In the picture the exhaust is not yet in place.

 

[rimfired]

Before I got married I always owned two cars and two bikes. I had a 66 GTO rag top, 76 TR6, 68 BSA 650 Lightning, early 74 XLCH (last of the right foot shifters)
and I worked in the industry. Turned wrenches on the bikes and sold automobiles. Sold the first Porsche Turbo Carrera in the NE States. I always wanted a 911S and swore that I'd never own an ashat Corvette. Had a 82 FLHT two years before the new bride knew I owned it. BMW3 hot, Mercedes 450SLC

Now I'm old/married and this is my RATVETTE.
It's fun, Antique tags, no emissions, no inspection, HOT. Best is it has the Hurst
close 4 speed manual and 370 posi rear. New heater core/new 3 chamber radiator/new Edelbrock Quadrajet carb/all
new brakes/cyls/rotors/calipers,Dynaflow exhaust. Just a 350 punched a little and stroke me/ stroke me. Smoke em if ya gottem....

 

[Sprefix]

My path

Several years back, I had the same thoughts. I decided on a dollar figure and was getting in gear for the purchase. I started thinking of my lack of a garage, the weather in general, and having a full-time bill (insurance) for a part-time toy. I saw a nice truck and noticed it was a (hot rod) that was four wheel drive. Kinda cool, but what about maintenance? I did some research and found out about the same type of truck in AWD. I placed a few local calls and in three weeks, a call came in. It was meant to be and I get to enjoy it every day!! I am very happy with my '04 SS Silverado AWD with Flowmasters, Trickflow tips, K&N filters, and chipped to 404HP. I get 20-22 mpg on the road also.

 

[David LaPell]

This is my latest. When I was 16 back in 1992 I had a 65 Chevy Biscayne 2dr with a 250 inline six, then a 76 Duster that was a retired drag car, followed by a 79 Aspen that was a daily driver and my 71 Dart Swinger with a 318 that I loved. Well time and bills come and go and it was many years before I had a nice old vehicle again, and this is it. A 74 F-100 with a 390 automatic. I love musclecars but the problem is you go to a car show, you see Mustangs, Camaros, Firebirds and GTO's. They're nice but I have a thing for driving old pickups. Not to mention I can get alot of power out of this truck and still have fun at alot less the price. Parts are cheap and this truck, from Carolina with no rust was only two grand here in NY. Try that with a vintage Mustang or Camaro! Right now the motor is being freshened up and getting a rebuild (the gaskets were gone from sitting for a while but it ran ok) I figured since the motor was being taken apart might as well replace a few of the old parts. It's also getting a set of headers and a pair of thrush glasspacks. That's all I am going to do for now, maybe upgrade to a small 4bbl and a better ignition later on. Then I will get some new tires and drive it for the summer and later on work on getting the little body parts done and some work and eventually get a good paint job on it.

 

[Kavinsky]

Before I got married I always owned two cars and two bikes. I had a 66 GTO rag top, 76 TR6, 68 BSA 650 Lightning, early 74 XLCH (last of the right foot shifters)
and I worked in the industry. Turned wrenches on the bikes and sold automobiles. Sold the first Porsche Turbo Carrera in the NE States. I always wanted a 911S and swore that I'd never own an ashat Corvette. Had a 82 FLHT two years before the new bride knew I owned it. BMW3 hot, Mercedes 450SLC

Now I'm old/married and this is my RATVETTE.
It's fun, Antique tags, no emissions, no inspection, HOT. Best is it has the Hurst
close 4 speed manual and 370 posi rear. New heater core/new 3 chamber radiator/new Edelbrock Quadrajet carb/all
new brakes/cyls/rotors/calipers,Dynaflow exhaust. Just a 350 punched a little and stroke me/ stroke me. Smoke em if ya gottem....

why the hatred towards the vette way back when? the interior?

This is my latest. When I was 16 back in 1992 I had a 65 Chevy Biscayne 2dr with a 250 inline six, then a 76 Duster that was a retired drag car, followed by a 79 Aspen that was a daily driver and my 71 Dart Swinger with a 318 that I loved. Well time and bills come and go and it was many years before I had a nice old vehicle again, and this is it. A 74 F-100 with a 390 automatic. I love musclecars but the problem is you go to a car show, you see Mustangs, Camaros, Firebirds and GTO's. They're nice but I have a thing for driving old pickups. Not to mention I can get alot of power out of this truck and still have fun at alot less the price. Parts are cheap and this truck, from Carolina with no rust was only two grand here in NY. Try that with a vintage Mustang or Camaro! Right now the motor is being freshened up and getting a rebuild (the gaskets were gone from sitting for a while but it ran ok) I figured since the motor was being taken apart might as well replace a few of the old parts. It's also getting a set of headers and a pair of thrush glasspacks. That's all I am going to do for now, maybe upgrade to a small 4bbl and a better ignition later on. Then I will get some new tires and drive it for the summer and later on work on getting the little body parts done and some work and eventually get a good paint job on it.

after the engine is refreshed is it going to be rigged up to run on unleaded? as I heard something about how if the gaskets are harded for it they can take unleaded without issue

mind you that was the Triumph Stag on wheeler dealers they had that done to.

 

[tork'd]

love to go topless now that i'm older, but still have a couple tire burners to play with when the desire strikes

 

[WC145]

Thanks for the ideas guys! The vettes have been "someday" thing since I was 14 and the guy that lived across the street bought a '64 Roadster that had seen better days and restored it in his garage - pearl white, maroon interior and pinstripes, polished American Daisy mags - man, what a car. He drove me to school in it a couple of times.

I don't want anything that needs major work because I don't have time for rebuilds or engine swaps or sorting wiring harnesses, etc.. I want something that, if I can't drive home when I buy it, can be driven with a minimum of effort (tires, brakes, battery, tune up, etc). It doesn't have to be perfect or beautiful, a little rough, a little "rat roddy" is okay. Mostly it needs to be cool and fun and have some balls.
C3 vettes are a consideration, they're readily available and generally pretty reasonably priced around here, but something old that turns heads could be a blast for rides to the store and the ice cream shop.
Ugh, decisions, decisions. At least with guns you can have a closet full and still slip a new in past the wife, buying a car means only getting one. Tougher to choose the right one!


Kavinsky - IIRC, it's a valve issue with older engines and unleaded gas - guides or seats.

 

[WC145]

Now that's what I'm talking about!!!

In my head I guess I'm narrowing it down between an old rod or some year vette, but I'm easily swayed. Keep the pics coming!!

 

[5-Shot]

Here's some raw material.

Ed

 

[novalty]

Here is Novalty, she's been couped up in the garage for too many years now--waiting for daycare to stop bleeding me dry.

 

[Mickey D]

My '37 Chevrolet I had Pre-divorce.

and the '40 Ford pickup project that went with it.

 

[BubbaBlades]

I've been interested in performance cars longer than I have been a gun owner. I went through a number of factory muscle cars in the 60s including Mustang, GTO, Charger 440 magnum and Corvette.
About ten years ago, I lucked out in finding a car mechanic that was also a performance car nut and bought his much modified (600+ HP on C16) Buick Grand National.
Shortly after buying the Buick, I lost interest in my WWII and earlier firearms and sold them and used the money to have this same mechanic build up my 1991 GMC Syclone to twice its original (280) horsepower. Just for comparison, the stock 1991 Syclone was quicker than the 1991 Corvette.
I feel that you only go round one time and as long as it doesn't take food off of your table, have (car) fun.
Mark

 

[tork'd]

buddy of ours works for a propulsion systems company and in his spare time likes to see how much faster he can make a car go with just tweaking the computer and any aftermarket part that takes less than 3 hours to bolt on. i do not know what he did to SWMBOs caddy, but she has hard time with tires...

 

[Silver77]

I'm not hung up on Vetts but at my age I can have only so much now. Here's a couple of dream projects and a couple from my past.

A Camaro, the interior of a '71 GMC long bed, a dream Rod and a project PU Rod combo.

 

[Black_Sheep]

Classic American Muscle, not as refined as a new Vette but you don't need to wear a funny hat...

 

[Silver77]

I never saw a Vett funny hat...what do they look like!